Nutcracker 2021

[canbelto]

delete

Edited December 11, 2021 by canbelto

[Helene]

Assume nothing without an official source.

[BalanchineFan]

Did anyone see the Friday night performance with Unity Phelan as SPF and Tiler Peck as Dewdrop. That is my dream line up and I even had tickets, but couldn't go last minute. I'd love to hear anyone's observations. I'll be seeing Nutcracker next weekend. There's so much happening in NYC all of a sudden (seemingly).

And then the Covid tests... A friend of mine is producing a show and they had to delay their opening due to several breakthrough covid cases. I hate to see performances canceled, but it's the most responsible course of action and protects everyone. 

I just bought Megan Fairchild's new book. She has a few Nutcracker stories in there. It's a quick read, but worthwhile. She uses stories from her career to  talk about lessons learned to improve our outlook and our mental health.

[canbelto]

25 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

Did anyone see the Friday night performance with Unity Phelan as SPF and Tiler Peck as Dewdrop. That is my dream line up and I even had tickets, but couldn't go last minute. I'd love to hear anyone's observations. I'll be seeing Nutcracker next weekend. There's so much happening in NYC all of a sudden (seemingly).

And then the Covid tests... A friend of mine is producing a show and they had to delay their opening due to several breakthrough covid cases. I hate to see performances canceled, but it's the most responsible course of action and protects everyone. 

I just bought Megan Fairchild's new book. She has a few Nutcracker stories in there. It's a quick read, but worthwhile. She uses stories from her career to  talk about lessons learned to improve our outlook and our mental health.

I didn;t go to that performance but I went to an earlier performance with Unity/Joe Gordon/Tiler. Tiler was fantastic as Dewdrop, but Unity and Joe ran into some partnering problems and as a result the performance was rather tense and lacking in magic. In the shoulder jumps Unity almost slipped off. I think Unity's a great dancer but more neoclassical than classical, and she's not a natural SPF. 

[Balletwannabe]

Unity is SPF today and tomorrow guesting with Eastern CT Ballet.   Indiana Woodward is Dewdrop.  Just a mention for any CT residents.  

[Susu_nyc]

44 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

Did anyone see the Friday night performance with Unity Phelan as SPF and Tiler Peck as Dewdrop. That is my dream line up and I even had tickets, but couldn't go last minute. I'd love to hear anyone's observations. I'll be seeing Nutcracker next weekend. There's so much happening in NYC all of a sudden (seemingly).

And then the Covid tests... A friend of mine is producing a show and they had to delay their opening due to several breakthrough covid cases. I hate to see performances canceled, but it's the most responsible course of action and protects everyone. 

I just bought Megan Fairchild's new book. She has a few Nutcracker stories in there. It's a quick read, but worthwhile. She uses stories from her career to  talk about lessons learned to improve our outlook and our mental health.

Would Megan's new book be good for a teenager who dances?  My god daughter has seen Megan dance and am wondering if the approach to the book might offer some helpful approaches to a teen for dance and life.

 

 

[canbelto]

Apparently Peter Walker went on in place of Harrison Ball (who had originally subbed for Taylor Stanley) last night with Megan:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXnpIWuZBL/

[Chballetfan]

8 hours ago, canbelto said:

I didn;t go to that performance but I went to an earlier performance with Unity/Joe Gordon/Tiler. Tiler was fantastic as Dewdrop, but Unity and Joe ran into some partnering problems and as a result the performance was rather tense and lacking in magic. In the shoulder jumps Unity almost slipped off. I think Unity's a great dancer but more neoclassical than classical, and she's not a natural SPF. 

I agree re Unity. she is a gorgeous dancer who exudes neoclassical skill and attitude. the prècisement of her limbs in Agon, Slaughter, Western etc. she has it all. and yet she is unconvincing in archetypal classical ballet. perhaps she is not a *natural* sugar plum - that is fine. no  principal is destined for all principal roles. we should never underestimate SPF - although a repertoire favourite it takes a very specific type of ballerina to be suited to and to master both the variation and the pas. the pas demands exuberance, dominance, romance, adagio technique; the variation if anything demands the opposite: petit Allegro in slow motion, intricate footwork and emotion etc. few ballerinas truly master both.

i do think it is time for NYCB to consider and promote a more versatile female principal. I love Woodward and Phelan and respect their command of their respective domains of the rep. I do think there is room for a quintessentially 'romantic' dancer, a la Lauren Lovette - Laracey would be my first choice, but in her absence, perhaps Emilie Gerrity deserves to be promoted? I echo others sentiments at the lack of casting opportunities this season. it does seem a waste. 

[Drew]

2 hours ago, Chballetfan said:

 

- Laracey would be my first choice, but in her absence,

Absence? I'm puzzled...Her posts on Instagram show her dancing in Nutcracker. (Actually I was hoping to read about some of these performances.)

[BalanchineFan]

17 hours ago, Susu_nyc said:

Would Megan's new book be good for a teenager who dances?  My god daughter has seen Megan dance and am wondering if the approach to the book might offer some helpful approaches to a teen for dance and life.

 

 

Absolutely! The Ballerina Mindset is a fun, quick read and Megan has a lot of useful insights to share. The tone is also very considered and appropriate for all ages.

In the SPF sweepstakes, I've been following Olivia Mackinnon on IG and she's rehearsing SPF. Look through her IG and you'll see her progress, which is considerable. She's another very lovely dancer who is getting opportunities here and there. I remember her debut in PC2 (2nd role, really nice!) and I think she had a Dewdrop last week. She's also enterprising and sells a line of ballet skirts, accessories and coverups. Laine Habony has never particularly caught my eye, but I'd be excited to see Olivia Mackinnon do more.

Edited December 12, 2021 by BalanchineFan

[canbelto]

9 hours ago, Chballetfan said:

I agree re Unity. she is a gorgeous dancer who exudes neoclassical skill and attitude. the prècisement of her limbs in Agon, Slaughter, Western etc. she has it all. and yet she is unconvincing in archetypal classical ballet. perhaps she is not a *natural* sugar plum - that is fine. no  principal is destined for all principal roles. we should never underestimate SPF - although a repertoire favourite it takes a very specific type of ballerina to be suited to and to master both the variation and the pas. the pas demands exuberance, dominance, romance, adagio technique; the variation if anything demands the opposite: petit Allegro in slow motion, intricate footwork and emotion etc. few ballerinas truly master both.

i do think it is time for NYCB to consider and promote a more versatile female principal. I love Woodward and Phelan and respect their command of their respective domains of the rep. I do think there is room for a quintessentially 'romantic' dancer, a la Lauren Lovette - Laracey would be my first choice, but in her absence, perhaps Emilie Gerrity deserves to be promoted? I echo others sentiments at the lack of casting opportunities this season. it does seem a waste. 

I love Emilie Gerrity. She is more romantic.  And I agree that SPF is actually a hard role to pull off. I've seen some of the very best dancers falter in this role. For instance, Tiler Peck always is more free, expressive and jaw-dropping as Dewdrop than she is as SPF.

Edited December 12, 2021 by canbelto

[abatt]

12 hours ago, Chballetfan said:

i do think it is time for NYCB to consider and promote a more versatile female principal. I love Woodward and Phelan and respect their command of their respective domains of the rep. I do think there is room for a quintessentially 'romantic' dancer, a la Lauren Lovette - Laracey would be my first choice, but in her absence, perhaps Emilie Gerrity deserves to be promoted? I echo others sentiments at the lack of casting opportunities this season. it does seem a waste. 

I think Lauren Lovette's weaknesses were very apparent.  Yes, she was very good in certain roles.  However, management failed to also acknowledge her weaknesses. She was given roles that were out of her depth.  Most particularly, I'm recalling things like coming off pointe in Sleeping Beauty, the disaster that was ACt III of Swan Lake and most recently, the fact that she could not do even one Italian fouette as required for her role in Western Symphony.  I don't want to see dumbed down choreography at NYCB.  We already get that at ABT, and it's a very bad precedent.  

[JanLevNYC]

5 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

Absolutely! The Ballerina Mindset is a fun, quick read and Megan has a lot of useful insights to share. The tone is also very considered and appropriate for all ages.

In the SPF sweepstakes, I've been following Olivia Mackinnon on IG and she's rehearsing SPF. Look through her IG and you'll see her progress, which is considerable. She's another very lovely dancer who is getting opportunities here and there. I remember her debut in PC2 (2nd role, really nice!) and I think she had a Dewdrop last week. She's also enterprising and sells a line of ballet skirts, accessories and coverups. Laine Habony has never particularly caught my eye, but I'd be excited to see Olivia Mackinnon do more.

Olivia Mackinnon is another lovely dancer that has been maturing and I would also love to see her as a SFP.  She was struggling with allowing her stresses to come through her facial expressions for a long time.  But I believe her confidence has come up substantially and that has dissipated.   Mackinnon's ballet fitness programs during COVID, to me, were another example of her growth in confidence.  She is trying to stake her place, for sure.   

And although I admire Laine Habony's humble presence (Instagram, FB, etc.) I wonder if she were more aggressive marketing herself would it bring more opportunities to her.  I was excited to see her photo outside the theater in the Fall 2021 season ad campaign!  She is without a doubt a beauty, natural star-quality looks both in face and body.  Looking at photos of her in the NYCB ad campaign her body, neck, hand, foot placements are perfect - especially compared with her co-dancers in group photos.  I do remember when she first entered the corps she seemed to always be the corps girl in photos for costumes in the Times and on NYCB social media.   She was featured in Teen Vogue and Pointe for makeup pieces.   Martins used her as the first corps member on Anatomy of Dance. (Swan Lake).  She was cast alongside Unity Phelan, Emelie Gerriry, and Sara Adam consistently through the summer 2017 with the collaboration with the Bolshoi and then Martins was gone and poof.  Anyway.   I hope they offer her more featured roles in the Winter and Spring seasons so she can find those growth spurts so she will start to catch your eye.  And maybe more social media like Mackinnon?  I did see Habony, Maxwell and Woodward in Russian Seasons in the Fall -  all three dancers met the demands of Ratmansky with grace, precision and perfect musicality.  Habony is usually cast in the Ratmansky pieces and you must have the classical strength and musicality - which she does just like Maxwell and Woodward.   Again, Habony  performed SFP last year and she did not post much about it but the photos were gorgeous.  I am sure it was a beautiful performance.  I am disappointed in NYCB again this year for not giving her the opportunity (again) along with so many others that could use the chance to grow!

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[canbelto]

I must say I'm puzzled by the adoration for Laine Habony. I don't doubt she's good but she wouldn't be the first corps member I'd promote. Not even the fifth.

Emily Kikta, Mira Nadon, Ashley Hod, Olivia Boisson, Isabella LFreniere, and the von Enck sisters IMO all have caught my eye more than Laine Habony.

[JanLevNYC]

8 hours ago, canbelto said:

I must say I'm puzzled by the adoration for Laine Habony. I don't doubt she's good but she wouldn't be the first corps member I'd promote. Not even the fifth.

Emily Kikta, Mira Nadon, Ashley Hod, Olivia Boisson, Isabella LFreniere, and the von Enck sisters IMO all have caught my eye more than Laine Habony.

I don't believe anyone said anything about promotions.  I believe the echo is more about opportunities, missed opportunities, not cultivating dancers who clearly were not on a trajectory for the corps based on technique, musicality, performance, etc for whatever the reality is - is.  Habony is one of several dancers that has been mentioned but definitely not the only one.  But about Habony, she must have caught the eye of many that did understand what truly special is such as Patricia McBride, Peter Martins, Katrina Killian, Kay Mazzo, Suki Schorer, Darci Kistler, Hubbe, YAGP and who knows who else.  She certainly has many favorable discussions in reviews.   Not many 15-year olds do Russian Girl in Serenade coached by McBride - or win YAGP awards.  There must have been something seen in people that know special.

I hate to get into the discussions of promotions, knowing the many, many facets the go into promoting dancers in any company starting with finances, being the focus.

I think the conversation has been and continues to be more about why NYCB is not giving opportunities to cultivate and mature these dancers artistry, confidence and bodies.  Why we are seeing the same dancers over and over, night after night since Martins' departure?   I believe one of his last years he gave us 15 different SFP in one season - with many debuts.  Honestly, in my IMHO I believe dancers like Habony, Bologna, Boisson, Claire VonEnck, Staker are SO dependable they are inadvertently taken advantage of as the rock of the corps.  It's sad for the careers of dancers and its just boring for the audience. 

Edited December 13, 2021 by JanLevNYC

[JanLevNYC]

On 12/7/2021 at 7:50 PM, cobweb said:

Megan Fairchild is a prime example of someone who has become better and better as the years have gone by. She is dancing with a polish and authority that I, at least, didn't see in her a few years back. For me as an audience member, I enjoy veterans like Fairchild because she has developed, but when I see a veteran dancer who does not seem to have grown as much, eventually I get tired of seeing them do the same roles, and wish that I could see someone newer. This may be brutal, and I have tremendous gratitude to the dancers for dedicating their lives to this art and bringing so much pleasure to my life, but sometimes I want to see someone new. 

As a dedicated corps-watcher, I have not been especially struck by Laine Habony, but I will pay more attention next time. What roles was she getting under Martins and has she not gotten to dance them again? I agree about Alston Macgill, who impressed me a few years back (I forget in what role) by dancing with an authority way beyond her pipsqueak size and tender age. So much is a matter of personal taste. Many people on here love Ashley Hod, who I find physically beautiful but uninteresting otherwise, and on the other hand, I love the sprightly, forthright Alexa Maxwell. I think there's a consensus on here about the merits of Emily Kikta, and after seeing Isabella LaFreniere in Chaconne in the Fall, I am praying to see her in more, bigger roles, PLEASE. Other standouts are Emma von Enck, Kristen Segin, and of course Mira Nadon. I could go on with others. There's a lot of talent, and only so many roles.

At the soloist level, I could imagine there's going to be some shifting before too long, with some moving up and some perhaps out. 

Agree with you on many of your comments. But I noticed that you shared you are a corps-watcher and I did see a comment you made a comment about Laine Habony in Diamonds sometime back - Diamonds. Four demisoloists were Laine Habony, Unity Phelan, Ashley Hod, and Alexa Maxwell. I believe this must have been debuts for them. All terrific. I especially enjoyed seeing Habony, who hasn't been featured as much as the others.

I think it's so easy to forget that these NYCB dancers have survived unprecedented times - several changes in leadership, COVID - and their lives/careers are everything to them.  The NYCB roster is stacked with talent and I applaud every man and woman that has dedicated their lives to the journey.  Let's hope for a NEW year full of more opportunities for all those corps dancers that have been waiting all these years for the opportunity to grow.  And I hope for their fans to give them grace and well-wishes!  Let's hope NYCB gives us something to get excited about.

[canbelto]

8 hours ago, JanLevNYC said:

I think the conversation has been and continues to be more about why NYCB is not giving opportunities to cultivate and mature these dancers artistry, confidence and bodies.  Why we are seeing the same dancers over and over, night after night since Martins' departure?   I believe one of his last years he gave us 15 different SFP in one season - with many debuts.  Honestly, in my IMHO I believe dancers like Habony, Bologna, Boisson, Claire VonEnck, Staker are SO dependable they are inadvertently taken advantage of as the rock of the corps.  It's sad for the careers of dancers and its just boring for the audience. 

There are actually many corps members who are getting soloist opportunities. Baily Jones, Mira Nadon, Emily Kikta, the von Enck sisters, India Bradley, Olivia MacKinnon, etc. Laine Habony just isn't among those. 

[DaniGirl]

7 hours ago, canbelto said:

There are actually many corps members who are getting soloist opportunities. Baily Jones, Mira Nadon, Emily Kikta, the von Enck sisters, India Bradley, Olivia MacKinnon, etc. Laine Habony just isn't among those. 

Revisiting the principal casting for Nutcracker 2021 to-date .... Takahashi had a debut the first week, Mejia has Cavalier debut this week, Read had a debut as Mother Ginger, Boisson as demi-Flower (finally), Zuniga debuted Candy Cane, Nadon will debut Dewdrop this week.  Nothing new for Jones, Kitka, the VonEncks, Bradley, Mackinnon but all 6 AND Miller, Manzi, Sell, LaFreinere, Habony , Staker, Segin, Hod, Maxwell, Dutton-O, Nadon, Boisson are dancing featured/soloist roles all season.  I would love to see Bologna and Maxwell as a demi Flowers or Bologna as Marizpan!!!  I would love to see Miller, Kitka, Maxwell, Boisson and Habony as SFP and Dewdrop.  I would love to see Staker, Dutton-O and Habony as Coffee.  I'm sure there are more I've missed.  So many talented, beautiful dancers!

Note:  Habony has been dancing featured roles since her first year.  I am sure she is understudying, as well.  I saw the principal cast with her in the Fall with Russian Seasons - an incredibly hard ballet.  She was the perfect technician, as always but more importantly her gift is musicality - being able to interpret music without traditional counts.  Maxwell and Woodward are both equally as gifted.  Not a role I can imagine Bradley, Mackinnon, Jones being able to master.  Anyway.  Its getting old defending the talent of this amazing company.  I would hope we can all agree to hope for every dancer to have the best careers possible. 

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by DaniGirl

[BalanchineFan]

Who is the best SPF that you've seen? This year or any year? Balanchine's Nutcracker only. Someone mentioned Jenifer Ringer in another thread. Just wondering... 

I don't remember who danced it when I first came to NYC in the 70's/80's as I wasn't partial to Balanchine's Nutcracker then. I preferred Gelsey Kirkland as Clara in Baryshnikov's version. I think Sterling Hyltin, Lauren Lovette and Sara Mearns have lead the pack in my opinion, but Maria, Megan and Tiler have also been excellent. It's hard for me to pick one, as you see.

I, too, remember the year Martins had 18 corps dancers debut as SPF. It was fascinating, and an interesting choice because, in my experience, not many people go to NYCB's Nutcracker for the casting. It's a big family event, a tradition, and it's about people going to BALLET, not about a particular performer or their interpretation. What do you all think?

Tiler posted on IG that she's spending Christmas in California with family. There are bound to be a lot of opportunities for debuts if more principals are being given that kind of schedule.

[Drew]

On 12/14/2021 at 5:55 PM, BalanchineFan said:

Who is the best SPF that you've seen? This year or any year? Balanchine's Nutcracker only. Someone mentioned Jenifer Ringer in another thread. Just wondering... 

I don't remember who danced it when I first came to NYC in the 70's/80's as I wasn't partial to Balanchine's Nutcracker then. I preferred Gelsey Kirkland as Clara in Baryshnikov's version. I think Sterling Hyltin, Lauren Lovette and Sara Mearns have lead the pack in my opinion, but Maria, Megan and Tiler have also been excellent. It's hard for me to pick one, as you see.

...

I'm not a huge Nutcracker fan and the only production I ever went to night after night (the seasons when I could) was Baryshnikov's when ABT performed it in D.C.  And that was almost exclusively because of Kirkland's Clara which remains one of my greatest ballet-going memories. The video, lovely as it is, doesn't begin to capture the wonder of her performance and, in fact, I believe it was shot before she had ever danced the ballet on stage. Moreover her Clara was full of subtle variations from performance to performance even when dancing with the same partner. And she danced it with a few different partners including Dowell and Cragun. But  I don't think of her as dancing the Sugar Plum Fairy--I think of her as dancing Clara.

SPF? I'm the person who wrote that their favorite Sugar Plum Fairy was Jenifer Ringer.  I do have mixed feelings about Balanchine's Nutcracker even now in part because of the placement of the SPF variation at the very beginning of the second act which, to me, undermines some of its magical impact. It's as if Odile came on at the beginning of Swan Lake Act III before the ball was even underway and performed 32 fouettes there and then. (I exaggerate...a little...to explain my feelings.)

I haven't seen any of the current NYCB SPFs -- the one I would most like to see I think is Hyltin, but I doubt it's in the cards. On film/video--I've always loved the footage of Larissa Lezhnina dancing the SPF variation in the Kirov's production. I would LOVE to have seen her dance the role.

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Drew
punctuation

[canbelto]

My favorite SPFs are Sterling Hyltin, Indiana Woodward, Tess Reichlen.

[Helene]

Back in those days, there used to be lines out of the lobby to buy Nutcracker tickets from the Box Office, and there was a big cardboard grid on an easel-like thing that would have each performance listed on one side, and the sections across the top.  Ticket availability would be indicated by color-coded dot file folder stickers.  People took what they could get.  

There were advance ticket ordering perks for donors, but I'm not sure when that started.

I used to be #TeamDewDrop all the way, and if I was looking at casting, it was for Dew Drop, but I saw all of the usual (soloist, principal) suspects as Sugar Plum Fairy, and I do remember that Judith Fugate was lovely, and Lourdes Lopez was very fine in Maria Tallchief roles.  

[JanLevNYC]

18 minutes ago, Drew said:

I'm not a huge Nutcracker fan and the only production I ever went to night after night (the seasons when I could) was Baryshnikov's when ABT performed it in D.C.  And that was almost exclusively because of Kirkland's Clara which remains one of my greatest ballet-going memories. The video, lovely as it is, doesn't begin to capture the wonder of her performance and, in fact, I believe it was shot before she had ever danced the ballet on stage. Moreover her Clara was full of subtle variations from performance to performance even when dancing with the same partner. And she danced it with a few different partners including Dowell and Cragun. But  I don't think of her as dancing the Sugar Plum Fairy--I think of her as dancing Clara.

SPF? I'm the person who wrote that their favorite Sugar Plum Fairy was Jenifer Ringer.  I do have mixed feelings about Balanchine's Nutcracker even now in part because of the placement of the SPF variation at the very beginning of the second act which, to me, undermines some of its magical impact. (It's as if Odile came on at the beginning of Swan Lake Act III before the ball was even underway and performed 32 fouettes there and then. (I exaggerate...a little...to explain my feelings.)

I haven't seen any of the current NYCB SPFs -- the one I would most like to see I think is Hyltin, but I doubt it's in the cards. On film/video--I've always loved the footage of Larissa Lezhnina dancing the SPF variation in the Kirov's production. I would LOVE to have seen her dance the role.

 

I have been blessed to see so many.  Patricia McBride, Kay Mazzo, Suzanne Farrell, Lourdes Lopez, all favorites. Darci Kistler was glorious from the moment she set foot on stage - a mix of innocence and wonder even into her 30s.  Margaret Tracy, Zippora Karz and Jennifer Ringer.  Sterling Hyltin might be my favorite in the last 10 years and most recently would be Indiana Woodward and Emilie Gerrity. 

Drew - I hope you are able to see Hyltin one day.  You will not be disappointed.

[Jacqueline]

Week six casting is up and I don't see a single debut, unless my feeble eyes missed something.  Disappointing.  Was hoping to see some new Sugarplums and Dewdrops, although I couldn't really "see" them being that I live way out of state.  (P.S.  just adopted two new kittens, and their names are Dewdrop and Marzipan.)

 

 

 

[vipa]

I'm a bit surprised Tiler Peck is doing Thursday night & Friday Mat. Glad Daniel Ulbricht has been given a couple of cavaliers. Anyone seen Erica Pereira since she's been back. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thing she had a baby.